Use produce to make a healthier plate

Recently I attended the Culinary Institutes “Worlds of Healthy Flavors” conference at the Greystone, CA campus. The theme of the conference was “Bringing together the best of world cooking and the latest in nutrition research.”
Conference sessions focused on what we currently know about balancing food choices on the plate and the evidence presented continues to support the important role of produce in menu planning.

At one session, a researcher from Harvard Business School discussed how we can “fool” our brains by placing fresh produce more prominently on our plates. This technique appeals to our “slow” brain which often doesn’t respond to visual cues until after our “fast” brain has made a choice. If we can serve produce and whole grains first, or make them more eye-appealing on our plates, our “slow” brain gravitates to them first.

The old techniques of making celery and cream cheese appear to be boats by putting raisins on top is actually an appeal to the slow brain. Similarly, molding whole grains into shapes on the plate draws our brain to that food item.

Another session addressed the American preoccupation with large amounts of protein. The average American intake of protein is about 150 grams per day and the actual amount needed, by the average American, is 55 to 65 grams/day.

The reason behind this excess is not just that we like the taste of protein—it is the failure to round out the plate with produce and whole grains. Thus thinking about vegetables, fruits and whole grains as the center of the plate can make it easier to lower the protein amount.

One recipe that can help you make this shift is a Butternut Squash and Cannellini Bean Ragout by Chef Steven Petusevsky, as presented at the 2013 Worlds of Healthy Flavors conference.